Playing Rules, Trevor Barton Memorial Tournament-Week1, 2022 (London Badgers)

SECTION RP2.5     UNIFORMS/EQUIPMENT

1. In all games in all Rep series, all team personnel, including the manager and coaches, must be in complete baseball uniform.  Note: Complete baseball uniform shall consist of:
   • corresponding tops or jerseys (with proper numbers)
   • corresponding (similar) baseball caps
   • baseball pants (no shorts)
   • corresponding stirrup or baseball socks
2. Provided the teams are completely uniformed the uniformity as laid down by the Official Playing Rules of Baseball will be disregarded and no protest will be considered by the OBA after the game has been played.
3. The on deck batter, batter, base runners and batboy/batgirl must wear a prescribed protective helmet with flaps, covering both ears. This may not be changed except after the inning has been completed, or the player has been retired or has crossed home plate. In T‐Ball, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, and 13U helmet chinstraps are mandatory unless the presence of a manufacturer installed face guard (C‐Flap) prevents the use of the chinstrap and will be worn as designed by the Senior aged players shall be permitted to wear either single ear or double ear flapped helmets in Senior OBA play.
4. In T‐Ball, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, and 13U and 16U Girls shoes with metal cleats are prohibited.
5. All catchers are required to wear a mask with throat protector, helmet, chest protector, shin guards, cup and a cup‐type supporter.
6. A team member shall be deemed as "warming up a pitcher" the moment either:
   1. the pitcher stands on the rubber (on the field or bullpen)
   2. the team member assumes a squatting position to receive a thrown ball from the pitcher, regardless of position on the field or bullpen; or
   3. the team member assumes a position behind home plate
7. Any team member serving as a catcher to warm up a pitcher shall wear a mask with throat protector. 
   Penalty: Coaches and players will be instructed to wear a mask and warned on first offense for failure to comply with this rule. Only one warning per team will be given throughout the game. After warning, any further violation of this rule by any team member will result in their immediate ejection.
8. The legal diameter for bats shall be 2 3/4".
9. Subject to the following, in addition to wood bats, non-wood bats shall be allowed in Rep play:
   1. For all 12U and 13U play, non-wood bats with a length-to-weight difference of ‐10 or less are permitted.
   2.  UPDATED For all 14U and 15U play, wood bats and non-wood bats may be used.  Only non-wood bats with a length-to-weight differential of -5 or less are permitted.
   3.  UPDATED For all levels of play 16U and above, only wood, wood composite, and wood-like material bats are permitted.  Wood composite bats include wood or bamboo bats with fiberglass sheathing and wood barrelled bats with composite handles.  Wood composite bats do not include any bat that has any metallic component.
   4. All players must use the approved bats for the series in which they are playing regardless of age or gender.
10. Players, coaches and managers who use electronic devices on the field will be ordered by the umpire to remove them from the field immediately. Failure to do so will result in ejection. Umpires who use electronic devices on the field during the game are subject to suspension and potential loss of accreditation. Fitbits, FuelBands, and other fitness trackers are considered electronic devices for the purposes of this rule, and are not permitted except where required for medical reasons (i.e.: heart rate monitor prescribed by a physician). Exception: Dedicated watches, stopwatches and electronic pitch counters/indicators are permitted.
11. All players, including pitchers, are permitted to wear compression sleeves on one or both arms. If only wearing one, it may be worn on either the pitching or glove arm. A compression sleeve extending only to the elbow shall have the same restrictions as a compression sleeve extending to the wrist. Pitchers must wear compression sleeves which are solid in colour and may not be white or Pitchers may not wear compression sleeves which are distracting in nature including designs and reflective material.
12. With the exception of piping (strings), no part of the pitcher’s glove may be white or grey.  The pitcher’s glove may not, in the judgement of the umpire, be distracting in any manner. No fielder, regardless of position may use a fielding glove that, in the judgement of the umpire, mimics, or attempts to mimic the colour of a baseball.

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SECTION RP2.6     APPROVED BASEBALLS 

Rawlings is the official baseball of Baseball Ontario. 

*Rawlings ROMLCAN is the exclusive baseball of Baseball Ontario Elimination Tournaments.

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SECTION RP2.7     GAME LENGTH

1. All games in a Rep Play‐off or Elimination Tournament shall be 7 complete innings (6 1/2 complete innings if the home team is ahead), or until a winner is declared.
2.  UPDATED  Subject to RP2.7(a), a 7-inning game will be considered an official game after 4 innings of play or 3-1/2 innings if the the home team is ahead.
3. In tournament play if a game is delayed due to curfew, darkness, light failure or weather related conditions at any point prior to completion, the game shall be resumed from the point of delay.
4. In the case of bad weather or other emergency situations, the schedule may be revised at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.
5. In home and home style Rep Play‐off games called due to curfew, darkness, light failure or weather related conditions after becoming an official game shall be declared a complete and official game even if less than 7 innings were If the game is called prior to becoming an official game, then it is resumed from the point of delay.
6. Time limits are not permitted in any Rep Play‐off or Elimination games.
7. In Rep Open or Invitational Tournaments when a time limit or curfew is in effect in the tournament rules, it shall be interpreted as follows: No new inning may be started after the time limit or An inning shall be deemed to have started immediately after the last out in the bottom of the previous inning has occurred.
8. In all OBA games an 18 run mercy rule will apply after 3 innings or 15 runs after 4 A 10 run mercy rule will also apply after 5 innings or any subsequent inning thereafter. If the home team leads after the top half of any such inning, the game shall be considered a mercy and the home team will not bat.
9. Where the home team scores to take the lead in the 7th inning, any extra inning or any inning that will be the last inning because of a time limit, the game ends immediately. Similarly, if the home team scores a run that results in a mercy pursuant to g), the game ends immediately with that run.

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SECTION RP2.8     LINE‐UP RULES

1. Each manager will see that the umpire‐in‐chief is provided with a batting order card listing the batting order of his/her players for the commencement of the game. This card shall list (i.e., print legibly) each player’s first and last name, his/her uniform number and position. It shall also list the substitute players, coaches and manager including their uniform number. Bona fide players of either team, who arrive after the commencement of the game, may have their names added to the list upon reporting to the umpire‐in‐chief.
2. In 8U, 9U, 10U and 11U games, all players present at the game shall be listed on the team’s batting line‐up in the order desired by the manager/coach and bat in that Late arrivals shall be added to the bottom of this batting order.
3. In 10U and 11U games, if a player is removed from the game due to injury, illness or official ejection, the player’s spot in the batting order shall be deleted. In the event a batter must be removed due to injury, official ejection, or has to leave for any reason during the time at bat, the next batter in the batting order shall come to bat assuming the balls and strikes count at the time the batter is removed. If the batter becomes an out, such batter shall then take his/her regular turn at
4. In 12U, 13U, 14U and 15U, teams may opt to utilize 10 batters in the starting line‐up. The additional batter shall be deemed as the extra player (EP). The following rules for the EP shall apply:
   1. The option to use the EP must be declared when handing in the line‐up card prior to the start of the game.
   2. The EP may bat in any place in the battingorder.
   3. The EP will be considered a defensive position and eligible for re‐entry.
   4. If a team using the EP has any players ejected or injured and it results in the team having less than 10 players in the line‐up the game shall continue with 9 players. The batting order will be shifted up to fill the void but otherwise remains the same.
      
      Note: If the player starting in the EP is moved into a defensive position his place in the batting order does not change. The new EP will bat in the place of the player they replaced.
5. At 16U and 18U, a team may use either an EP as in 8 d) or a designated hitter as in RP2.8 f), but the team may not use both an EP and a designated hitter in the same game. For clarity, a team may also choose not to use either an EP or a designated hitter.
6. A designated hitter may be used for a pitcher from 16U to Senior as per the Official Rules of Baseball.
7. For tournament play the Tournament Convenor shall appoint an official scorer for each game (who may be the scorer of 1 of the teams playing). For all home and home style OBA Play‐off games the home team score keeper shall be the official score keeper.
8. Senior AAA teams are permitted to mutually affiliate themselves with any one 22U team within their Affiliated Association as long as their Local Association does not have a 22U team.
9. If the Baseball Canada 22U Nationals are hosted by an Ontario team – the players on the 22U host team are only permitted to be called up to a Senior team during Eliminations as long as they are a member of the same local association.
10. Senior AAA teams are permitted a maximum of 3 22U or 18U‐aged call‐ups for

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SECTION RP2.9     SUBSTITUTIONS

1.  UPDATED Except as required in RP2.10(c), in 10U and 11U games, unlimited substitutions defensively are allowed (including for injury or official ejection).
2. From 12U to 18U and Senior Women, any starting player may be substituted for and returned to the game one time only.  They must return to their original place in the batting order. Any further substitutions do not jeopardize the right of re‐entry for the original/starting player. Any starting player returned to the game may pitch as long as they have not previously assumed the pitching position. A pinch runner or pinch hitter may be inserted for a pitcher, who was listed in the starting batting order, and the pitcher may return to pitch under this re‐entry rule only if the player is re‐entered immediately as a pitcher when his/her team takes the field defensively.
3. At all levels, courtesy runners for the catcher or any other players are prohibited. Pinch runners may be substituted in accordance with the Official Rules of Baseball except where contravened herein.
4. From 12U to 18U and Senior Women, in the event that all players have entered the game and an injury(s) occurs, the opposing manager shall have the right of selecting any remaining player(s) as the replacement.
   Note: This rule does not apply to ejections from a game.
5. If a player re‐enters or enters the game illegally: offensively, this shall be considered as a batter hitting out of order; defensively, the proper player shall replace them.

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SECTION RP2.10   PITCHING RULES

1. In 10U and 11U, the number of trips to the mound by the Manager/Coach shall not be limited except when, in the judgement of the umpire, the purpose of the trip is to delay the game.
2. In 12U and 13U, a third trip by the Manager/Coach to the same pitcher in the same inning shall result in the pitcher’s automatic removal from the pitching position.
3. From 18U and below, including Women, a pitcher once removed from the pitching position, regardless of the number of trips to the mound by the Manager/Coach, may continue in the game at another position but shall not be permitted to return to pitch in that game.
4. From 14U to Senior, a second trip by a Manager/Coach to the same pitcher in the same inning shall result in the pitcher’s automatic removal from the pitching position. The pitcher, once removed after the second trip in an inning may continue to play at another position but shall not be permitted to return to pitch in that game.
5. When a pitcher takes their position at the beginning of each inning, or when they relieve another pitcher, they shall be permitted to pitch up to eight preparatory pitches to the catcher, during which play shall be suspended. The plate umpire may reduce this number if, in their judgement, there has been unnecessary delay by the pitcher and/or catcher. If a sudden emergency causes a pitcher to be summoned into the game without sufficient opportunity to warm up, the plate umpire shall allow them as many pitches as the plate umpire deems necessary.

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SECTION RP2.11   ARM CARE RULES

1. Unless otherwise stated, all Arm Care rules listed in P2.11 shall be in force throughout the baseball season and shall apply to all league play and tournament play as sanctioned by Baseball Ontario or any Affiliated Association.
2. Unless otherwise stated, all Arm Care rules listed in P2.11 shall be enforced at all series 22U and below.
3. Pitchers shall be limited to the number of pitches thrown in a single day as outlined below.  Pitchers are required to rest in accordance with the chart below as determined by the total number of pitches thrown on any one calendar day.

   9U*	11U	13U	15U	18U	22U	REST REQUIRED
   1‐20	1‐25	1‐30	1‐35	1‐40	1‐45	None
   20‐35	26‐40	31‐45	36‐50	41‐55	46‐60	1 Day
   36‐50	41‐55	46‐60	51‐65	56‐70	61‐75	2 Days
   N/A	56‐65	61‐75	66‐80	71‐85	76‐90	3 Days
   N/A	66‐75	76‐85	81‐95	86‐105	91‐115	4 Days
   50	75	85	95	105	115	Daily Max

   *Please see RP2.11(m) for 9U player pitching requirements.
   Note:  Please see RP2.11(h) for multiple games in any two consecutive days.

4. For the purposes calculating days of rest required, the day after game day is considered Day 1 of the rest period. (ie: If an 11U pitcher throws 27 pitches on Friday, he will be next eligible to pitch again on Sunday).
5. If a game extends beyond midnight into the next calendar day, any pitches thrown thereafter shall be counted toward the pitch count of the day the game started. If however, the game is suspended for any reason after midnight, when it resumes, any pitches thrown by any pitcher shall be counted toward the new day.
6. Intentional walks and balks shall count toward the pitcher’s pitch count total if a pitch has been thrown.
7. Players are permitted to pitch in 2 separate games in the same day as long as they do not exceed the maximum number of pitches that requires no rest for their age category in the first game of the day. (ie: If an 11U pitcher throws fewer than 25 pitches in the first game, the player may pitch in a second ) No player is permitted to pitch in more than 2 games in any two-day period regardless of the number of pitches thrown.
8. No player may exceed the Daily Maximum for their age category in any two‐day period. If a player pitches in two games in a day or on two consecutive days, days rest required shall be calculated using the combined total of the number of pitches thrown.
   Ex1: 22U player throws 45 pitches on Friday in a tournament (no rest required). That pitcher is permitted to pitch again on Saturday to a maximum of 70 pitches so as not to exceed 115.
   
   Ex2: In the same scenario as Ex1, the total number of pitches thrown are added together to determine days rest. If the player threw 45 pitches on Friday and 70 pitches on Saturday, the pitcher must rest for 4 days and is next eligible to pitch on Thursday.
9. Pitchers will be permitted to complete the at‐bat of the batter they are facing when their Daily Maximum pitch limit has been reached for that calendar day but must be removed immediately after (i) the batter is retired, or (ii) the batter becomes a runner, or (iii) the third out of the inning is made.
10. The total number of pitches thrown by an ambidextrous pitcher shall be charged toward their pitch count regardless of which arm(s), or combination thereof, the pitcher uses to throw.
11. No player may pitch on three consecutive days unless their total pitch count for the three days does not exceed the number of pitches where no rest is required for that age category. A pitcher may not pitch on 4 consecutive days regardless of pitch count.
12. Once removed from the pitching position, a player may not catch for the remainder of the day.
13.  UPDATED Any player who is playing in a series higher than their age appropriate series shall be restricted to the pitch count limitations and required rest periods applicable to the age of the player, provided the following:
    1. Players aged 8 and under and not permitted to pitch in any circumstance.
    2. 9 year-old players who are called‐up to play on a 10U or 11U team are not permitted to
    3. 9 year-old players who are rostered to a 10U or 11U team shall be permitted to pitch with the following limitations:
       • 0 Days Rest: 1‐20 Pitches
       • 1 Day Rest: 20‐35 Pitches
       • 2 Days Rest: 36‐50 Pitches
       • Daily Maximum: 50 Pitches
14.  UPDATED Penalty: For violation of any Arm Care rules as prescribed in RP2.11(c) to (m),
    1. the Manager the Manager is ejected and the game is immediately forfeited. The Manager shall receive a one game automatic suspension. If however, the Official Pitch Counter does not make the Manager & umpire aware of the violation, the game shall not be forfeited but the Manager will still be ejected and suspended.
    2. If a pitcher throws during their mandatory days rest period in violation of RP2.11(c), the pitcher’s maximum days rest period will reset to the maximum rest period of 4 days from the date of the appearance constituting the violation.
    3. In the event that a player pitches on a required rest day and the violation is not caught until after the game, the player shall be required to rest 4 complete days from the day they last pitched and the Manager will receive an automatic two-game suspension to be served at the next scheduled game of consequence.
    4. In any case, if the arm care violation is not caught until after the game, the game will not be retroactively forfeited.
15. Any player who is playing in a series higher than their age must be identified on the lineup card. Any underage player not identified on the lineup card is ineligible to pitch. Should any such unidentified underage player pitch, the pitcher shall be removed from the pitching position and the Manager ejected.
16. When a player reaches their Daily Maximum pitch count, the manager or coach may remove the pitcher from the pitching position immediately without penalty, regardless of the number of trips already charged to the pitcher during the inning or at‐bat.
17.  UPDATED For all games except tournament play, the home team shall designate an official pitch counter for their team who shall be responsible for tracking the pitches of both teams.
18. During OBA sanctioned tournament play, the host shall designate an official pitch counter for each The host may designate participating teams as the official pitch counter at their discretion.
19. The official pitch counter must provide the current pitch count upon request by either manager or the umpire.
20. The official pitch counter shall inform the plate umpire when a pitcher has delivered their Daily Maximum pitch count. The plate umpire shall inform the manager that the pitcher must be removed, (i) immediately if the Daily Maximum threshold has been reached at the end of an at‐bat, or (ii) following the completion of the at‐bat or inning, subject to RP2.11(h).
    Note: Failure by the Official Pitch Counter to inform the plate umpire of a pitcher reaching their Daily Maximum pitch count does not relieve the Manager of their responsibility to know the pitch count and remove the pitcher. 
    Penalty: Failure to remove the pitcher with no notification by the Official Pitch Counter will result in the manager’s immediate ejection and the pitcher shall be removed from the pitching position immediately and will not be permitted to complete the at‐bat. This will be treated as an emergency situation and the incoming pitcher shall receive as many warm‐up pitches as the plate umpire deems necessary.
21.  UPDATED For all games except tournament play, the Manager (or designate) shall record the number of pitches thrown for each of their team’s players within 24 hours (or before the start of the next game, whichever is earlier) of the game’s start time using the OBA Pitch Count Tracker.
22. During tournament play, pitch counts must be entered within 1 hour following the end of the game (or before the start of the next game, whichever is earlier) by the home team Manager (or designate).
23. The Manager of the opposing team will receive notification of the pitch count entry into the system and will have 24 hours from that time to verify or challenge the pitch count from that game.
    1.  Any challenge of an official pitch count will be forwarded to the Series Chair for resolution.
    2. The decision of the Series Chair with regard to Pitch Counts shall be final.
24. Penalty:  
    1. Failure to enter pitch count results within the specified timelines, as set forth in RP2.11(u), will result in the following penalties:
       1. On a team’s first offense of the season, immediate suspension of the Manager until the pitch count is entered.
       2. On a team’s second (or any subsequent offense), the Manager will receive an automatic 5 game suspension.
    2. Failure by team to adopt these pitch count rules will result in the team forfeiting their right to classify for an OBA Championship and participate in OBA sanctioned tournaments.
25. Any coach or manager whose actions cause a player’s pitch counts to be exceeded or not counted as required by these rules, and that action is not identified until after the game is completed, shall be subject to a suspension of not less than 2 games which may be extended at the discretion of the Series Chair.

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SECTION RP2.12   BASE RUNNING RULES

Malicious Contact:

1. Malicious contact is to be penalized whether committed by an offensive or defensive player. Contact shall be considered malicious if:
   1. the contact is the result of intentional excessive force, and/or
   2. there is an intent to injure.
2. The umpire shall determine whether contact was avoidable or If the fielder blocks the base path, the runner may make contact, slide into or collide with the fielder as long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base/plate.
3. Runners are instructed to slide or attempt to avoid making contact with a fielder. A player who maliciously runs into another player is to be declared out (unless he/she has scored prior to committing the infraction) and is to be automatically ejected (whether or not declared out).
4. If the defensive player blocked the base path clearly without possession of the ball, obstruction shall be called. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball is called.

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SECTION RP2.13   FIELDING RULES

1. A fielder may not enter the dugout or bench area to make a legal Any such ball shall be declared dead.
2. Where a fielder carries a live ball into dead ball area, the ball shall be declared dead and all runners shall be awarded 1 base without liability of being put out.

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SECTION RP2.14 EXTRA-INNING RULES

At 22U and below, the following extra inning procedure will be followed wehn the game is tied at the end of regulation play for all Baseball Ontario Rep sanctioned tournaments, Rep Play-offs, and Rep Elimination Tournaments:

1. Each team will begin the extra inning (and any subsequent necessary extra innings) with a player on first and second, no outs.
2. The placement of the runners of the extra inning will be determined by how the previous inning ended.
   1. The hitter with the last plate appearance in the previous inning will be placed at first base.
   2. The hitter with the second-to-last plate appearance in the previous inning will be placed at second base.
3. The traditional system of the visiting team hitting in the top of the inning and the home team hitting in the bottom of the inning will remain in effect until a winner is determined.
4. All other Official Baseball Rules and Baseball Ontario rules remain in effect during extra innings.

Example:  If the last inning ends with the #6 batter having the last plate appearance, then the extra inning begins with the #7 batter at bat, and the #5 batter at second base, and the #6 bater at first base.

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SECTION RP2.15   DISCIPLINE

1. The following Progressive Penalties shall apply at all levels of baseball on minor offenses/infractions by a coach or manager:
   1. On a first minor violation, the coach or manager shall receive a warning from the umpire.
   2. If the coach/manager continues after being warned, or on any second minor violation in that game, the umpire shall order the coach/manager be restricted to the dugout for the remainder of the game.
   3. On any subsequent minor violation in that game, or refusal to remain in the dugout after restriction, the umpire shall eject the coach/manager from the game.
   4. The umpire in his/her sole discretion may elect to eject any coach, manager or player from the game without warning or progressive penalties.
2. Any player, coach or manager ejected by an umpire from any Rep game shall be assessed an automatic one-game which is to be the next scheduled game of consequence (ie: not exhibition games). The player, coach or manager may be subject to further suspension depending on the severity of the circumstances leading to the ejection at the discretion of the tournament host’s protest and discipline committee.
3. The umpires, who umpire a game where an ejection occurs, shall file an ejection report with the convenor of the tournament within 2 days of the completion of the tournament. Failure to submit an ejection report shall result in the suspension of the umpire(s) until the report is filed.

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SECTION RP2.16   PROTESTS

1. Protests based on umpires’ judgment decisions will not be permitted. A protest based on an umpire’s interpretation of the rules must be lodged with the umpire before the game resumes, and the opposing team must also be advised by the umpire before the game resumes.
2. No protests will be entertained regarding coaches or managers being listed on a roster A coach or manager signed with 1 team in an organization may act as coach or manager for any other team in that organization.
3. Tournament Style Rep Play‐offs:
   1. A Protest Committee shall be established by the host Local Association.
   2. The Protest Committee has the right to rule whether a protest will be heard.
   3. All protests must be ruled on at the time of their occurrence by the Protest Committee.
   4. If the protest is heard and denied, the team will be billed $50.
4.  UPDATED Home and Home Style Rep Play‐offs:
   1. Protests are to be emailed to the Rep Protest Chair postmarked within 24 hours of the end of the game under protest. A protest fee of $50.00 must be electronically transferred.
   2. The Protest Chair will obtain a copy of the Umpire's report regarding the incident.
   3. The Protest Chair will obtain written reports from each Manager regarding the incident.
   4. The Protest Chair, in consultation with the Rep Commissioner will determine if there is reason for holding a protest meeting.
   5. Should a protest meeting be deemed necessary, the Panel shall include the Series Chair, the Rep Commissioner, and the Protest Chair.
   6. Results of the Protest Meeting will be delivered by the Protest Chair to the Rep Commissioner, both teams, the OBA Office, the Rep Series Chair, and the Rep Overall Series Chair.
5. Once a protest has been dealt with by the OBA or a committee delegated to act in such matters by the OBA, any ruling handed down must be considered as final by the OBA. No further action will be taken.
6. The Rep Protest Chair has the power in a home and home style OBA Play‐off to appoint a committee to handle all protests which must be disposed of 5 days from the time the Rep Protest Chair receives the complete protest, etc.
7. All correspondence regarding protests and defence of appeals must be forwarded by email.
8. Even if it is held that the protested decision violated the rules, no replay of the game will be ordered unless in the opinion of the Rep Protest Chair the violation adversely affected the protesting team’s chances of winning the game.
9. Teams or players which knowingly play against ineligible players and do wilfully conceal this knowledge from the OBA until it shall suit their convenience to use it in any protest which may arise shall be considered equally guilty with the offending team or players and shall be dealt with accordingly.
   
   Emergency Situations:
10. In an emergency situation the protest will be dealt with by the Rep Series Chair in consultation with the Rep Protest Chair and the Rep Commissioner.

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SECTION RP2.17   10U/11U PLAYING RULES

1. Home base shall be marked by a five‐sided slab of rubber. It shall be a 21‐inch square with two of the corners removed so that the front edge is 21‐inches wide and the back of the plate comes to a point at the intersection of the lines extending from home base to first base and to third
2. A team’s turn at bat in an inning will end after three outs have been recorded or four runs have been scored. The last inning will have an eight run maximum. On any play where the last allowed run in an inning is as a result of the ball leaving the playing field and the awarding of home base (ie: home run, overthrow, etc) results in more than the maximum runs allowed in an inning scoring, all awarded runs will score; this only applies to dead ball awards.
   
   Ex. 1: Runners on 1st, 2nd and 3rd. 2 outs. 3 runs have already scored in the inning. The batter hits a groundball to the shortstop, who overthrows first base. The ball goes out of play. Because this is the first play by an infielder, all runners get awarded 2 bases from the time of pitch. 2 runs score for a total of 5 for the inning.
   
   Ex. 2: Runners on 2nd and 3rd. 2 outs. 3 runs have already scored in the inning. The batter hits a ball in the gap between outfielders. Despite the fact that two runs would have scored easily, because the ball stayed in play, the inning ends when the runner from 3rd touches the plate. 1 run scores on the play for a total of 4 runs for the inning.
   
   Ex3 3: Runners on 2nd and 3rd. 3 runs have already scored in the inning. The batter hits a ball down the left field line which rolls past an out of play line. Ball is dead. This is a 2 base award, so 2 runs score on this play, with a total of 5 for the inning.
   
   
3. An 18‐run mercy rule will apply after 3 innings; a 15‐run mercy rule will apply after 4 innings; a 10‐run mercy rule will apply after 5 innings; and a 9‐run mercy rule will apply after 6 innings. If the home team leads after the top half of any such inning, the game shall be considered a mercy and the home team will not bat.
4. No new inning shall be permitted to start after 2 hours have elapsed from the start of the game. No time limit during the final championship Local tournament rules for regular season tournaments can impose a shorter time limit. In all Rep Play‐off tournament games and all play‐off round games of regular season tournaments must have a winner declared, so extra innings are to be played regardless of the time limit.
5. Unlimited substitutions defensively are allowed (including for injury or official ejection).
6. The number of trips to the mound by the Manager/Coach shall not be limited except when, in the judgement of the umpire, the purpose of the trip is to delay the game.
7. Base runners cannot leave the base until the ball leaves the pitcher’s If an infraction occurs, the ball will be declared dead and runners may not advance. 1 warning will be issued and for any further infractions thereafter, the runner will be called out. (Each team to receive 1 warning).
8. If a player is removed from the game due to injury, illness, or official ejection, the player’s spot in the batting order shall be deleted. In the event a batter must be removed during their time at bat, the next batter in the batting order shall come to bat assuming the balls and strikes count at the time the batter is removed. If the batter becomes an out, such batter shall then take their regular turn at bat.
9. If a runner is removed by reason of injury or official ejection from the game, the player last put out shall act as pinch runner for the removed player. By virtue of the rules there shall be no pinch runners allowed.
10. The batter shall not become a runner when a third strike is not legally caught by the The ball remains live and all other runners may advance at their own risk.